Hydrometric egg-detector.



W. H. HUTGHINSON.

HYDROMBTRIG BGG DETECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1912.

1,075,477. Y Patented *Oct`l 14, 1913A parra etarras rafrau'r rios.

WILLIAM H. HUTCIIINSON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

HYDROMETRIG EGG-DETECTOR.

Application filed May 4, 1912.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, IVILLIAM H. I-IU'roI-I-INsoN, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in I-IydrometricEgg-Detectors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to thereference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to hydrometric egg detectors and ithas forits object to provide an instrument of this character which will serveas a means of indi cating the character and quality of an egg in all ofthe various stages through which it passes, from a strictly freshcondition to a state where it is unfit for use, by determining itsspecific gravity.

My invention also has for its object to provide such an instrumentcomprising a buoyant body, an egg holder thereon and an indicating stem,said body being made in sections to one of which each of the other partsare attached.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claim at the endof the specification.

In the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation illustrating a deviceconstructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view thereof.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

A hydrometric egg tester embodying my invention is intended to be used,not merely for the purpose of measuring the extreme conditions of an eggand indicating whether it is good or bad, but for indicating within awide range the changes which may have occurred in the condition of anegg between the state of strict freshness and rottenness. Such aninstrument may be used to grade and separate eggs into classes accordingto their specific gravity which I have determined is a sure indicationof their condition, irrespective of their age, since the condition,within certain limits, does not depend so much upon age as upon thequality of the contents and the temperature at which they have beenmaintained.

In carrying out my invention, I employ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14,1913.

Serial No. 695,187.

a float preferably comprising a hollow body made of metal and formed ofupper and lower piece a and rounded, as shown and which may be brazed orsoldered at their meeting edges or otherwise united as by a joint bandc. These sections are preferably constructed in the form shown as theirshape permits them to be easily formed by stamping or spinning ofcomparatively thin sheet metal and another advantage is obtained in thatthe rounded upper and lower ends of the body afford little or noresistance to its vertical movement when immersed in a liquid, such aswater.

Attached to the lower end of the body is the egg holder. This is formedof a single piece of wire looped at the Center (Z to form the two sidearms e and f which are then bent into the shape of a hook and form asaddle capable of supporting eggs of various sizes. T he two sideportions of the holder are united by wrapping the extremity of one, f,around the end, c, of the other which latter is allowed to projectbeyond the coil to form a fastener which may be projected through anaperture in the lower end or section of the body and secured thereto.

The indicating scale preferably comprises a tube g, having suitablegraduated indications thereon as shown in Fig. l. rIhis tube is fastenedpermanent-ly to the neck o formed upon the upper section of the body andthe interior of the latter and the tube communicate for the purpose offorming a single air chamber which plays an important part in theoperation of the device. The opening between the body and the tube alsoallows small shot, or other objects, to be inserted and passed to thebottom of the boe y for the purpose of weighting it in the firstinstance, or may be required to standardize different instruments. rIhetop of the tube is closed by a cap g.

The instrument constructed in the manner described is so proportionedand adjusted that a goodly portion, such as about one third, of thescale tube will be submerged below the surface of the water when it iswithout a load. The graduations on the tube are applied withoutreference to this unloaded float point so that. the lesser divisionswill indicate conditions of staleness passing into rottenness withoutelevating the ioat to that point where it will capsiZe. The testing ofan egg to determine its condition after it has reached the state inwhich it floats, I deem important, for although such an egg when firstcoming to the float point does not possess qualities adapting it fortable use, nevertheless such an egg may be used most satisfactorily forcooking purposes, which do not require perfect freshness.

It is very desirable in an instrument of this character that a long stemor scale bar be employed whether the device is intended for use by theproducer or the dealer in grading of eggs or is to be employed for thetesting of eggs for table use. The long scale bar employed upon a bodywhich is adjusted in weight to float at a given point of submergenceprovides a range within the extremes of the scale, permitting a largenumber of coarse graduations to be used and as many as fifteen or twentyof these subdivisions to be devoted to each of the commercial classes,or grades, of eggs known as strictly fresh, fresh, good fair and stale.

l claim as my invention:

An egg detector comprising a hollow body portion formed of separatecup-shaped sections held together by a separate ring disposed interiorlyof the sections, a holder formed of wire attached to one section, a neckformed on the upper section, a tubular scale member secured to saidneck, and a removableY cover at the upper end of the tubular scalemember, said scale member being provided with graduations adapted tocooperate with the surface of a liquid in which the instrument issubmerged.

WILLIAM H. HUTCHINSON.

Witnesses:

Gr. WILLARD RICH, ERWIN S. PLUME.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe v Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

